At Vtrim, we think there are some interesting lessons to be learned in Oprah’s story. First of all, weight management takes work. In her story, Oprah talks about how she let herself slide right off her priority list–she quit making time to take care of herself. This is probably one of the hardest lessons for weight managers to learn: weight management takes ONGOING work. You don’t just lose weight and you are done. You have to continually work at maintaining those healthier habits. And falling into the trap of letting everything else be more important than you, can happen easily. But in order for you to feel good, be healthy, and effectively help others, you need to take care of YOU!

Second, nobody is immune to setbacks in their weight management efforts…even Oprah. It’s easy to think “oh if I had my own personal trainer, my own chef, my own therapist like all the stars do, I could lose the weight, too!” But the reality is, NOBODY can do it for you! And NOBODY but YOU can MAINTAIN the weight for you either. No matter who you are, weight management takes effort and work. It’s a lifestyle, not a temporary diet. You have to get rid of the “on a diet/off a diet” mentality. Oprah has taken a big step opening up to the world about her own struggles with weight and health. We all “fall off the wagon” at times…the true test is whether or not you get back on.

Third, being healthy is about more than just a number on the scale. Your health is impacted by more than just your weight. Getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and managing stress are just a few examples of other areas in life that impact your overall health. Oprah set a good example opening up about how those other areas of her life have slid and how she is making a new effort to look at all areas of health in her life.

So as you consider your goals for the new year, and set about to improve your health, remember that January 2010 isn’t time to plan a new diet. It’s time to plan for a new YOU. Make 2010 the year that YOU matter, that YOU become a daily priority in your life.